Monthly Archives: May 2014

HEARTS IN RUIN is published by Liquid Silver Books–an eBook publisher with more than fourteen years experience in publishing digital books.

From Liquid Silver Books:

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The “Anzick” skeleton of a small boy dating from Clovis period time (11,500-9,500 BCE) was found in Montana many years ago. Radiocarbon dating of the burial show the burial is dated at 10,600 BCE. Scientists have sequenced the boy’s full genome and have found it closely related to all modern Native Americans. This result may be very contrary to an idea that the Clovis people were from a Solutrean group from Europe. The DNA study shows also that there is a deep divergence between northern Native Americans and those from Central and South America that happened before the Clovis era.

A hunter-gatherer who trekked through a desert oasis a hundred centuries ago left the continent’s most lasting impression: the oldest known human footprints in North America.

There are only two of them — one left and one right — but the ancient traveler’s path through mineral-rich sediment in the Chihuahuan Desert allowed them to become enshrined in stone, and now dated, some 10,500 years later.

These two human prints, originally discovered in 1961, have been dated to be about 10,550 years old. (Photo courtesy Arturo Gonzalez)

“To my knowledge the oldest human prints previously reported in North America are around 6,000 years old, so the … prints pre-date these by some 5,000 years,” said Dr. Nicholas Felstead, a geoarchaeologist at Durham University who led a new analysis of the prints.

The tracks were first discovered during highway construction in northeastern Mexico, about 300 kilometers from the Texas border, in 1961. They were excavated and taken to a local museum for study, but their precise location was lost to history.

A search for the site in 2006 came up empty, but it did turn up an additional 11 tracks in the general area where the original prints were believed to have been found — a marshy, spring-fed desert refuge known as Cuatro Ciénegas.

Felstead and his team were able to date the tracks because they were preserved in travertine, a sedimentary rock that contains minute traces of uranium from the waters in which it formed.“Both sets of prints are ones that have been identified before and are the only reported footprints in the Cuatro Ciénegas Basin, but neither have previously been dated,” Felstead said in an interview.

Since uranium decays into the element thorium at predictable rates, the scientists were able to measure the ratio of those materials to determine the specimens’ ages.

Their results showed that the pair of tracks discovered in 1961, now housed at Saltillo’s Museo del Desierto, were about 10,550 years old.

The 11 other prints, which remain where they were found in a Cuatro Ciénegas quarry, dated back about 7,250 years, according to the research.

It was an honor to be interviewed this evening by Sezoni Whitfield at Writer’s Kaboodle. Writer’s Kaboodle is a networking site for book lovers, writers and best-selling authors everywhere. Its hashtag, #WritersKaboodle, is its conversation forum where readers and writers can find discussions about new releases, read recommendations, writing tips and useful resources.

Below is the text of the interview, including comments and questions from guests invited to the interview.

JC: Sure. It’s about two archaeologists, Andrea and Daniel, who differ passionately in their views about how to handle some extraordinary and controversially old artifacts at a remote New Mexico dig. Add to that the problem of being extremely attracted to each other, and then the activities of at least two outside forces that work hard and effectively to sabotage or even destroy the site before its significance can be documented, and you have the main story. The most important side story takes place some 20,000 years ago during a tragic climatic change caused by a celestial impact. The plight of those characters, and what remains of them, is at the heart of the mystery Daniel and Andrea are striving to uncover.

SW: When was Hearts in Ruin published?

JC: It came out May 5 — Cinco de Mayo — 2014. It’s an eBook.

SW: What is the genre and what inspired you to write the Hearts in Ruin?

JC: Hearts in Ruin is a contemporary romance and suspense story. The characters and the underlying mystery they are trying to solve actually came to me as I was researching celestial impacts. There have been many climate changing impacts in the dim past. I didn’t want to write a story all about that. But the remnants of one of those hits, and the effect it had on the ancient people of the time, made a great foundation for the conflict in the story. Daniel and Andrea, of course, are modern archaeologists, steeped in academia, each in their own way.

SW: Which character would you like to introduce this evening?

JC: Let’s introduce Andrea. She’s the character that gets the most point-of-view time. She is a doctoral candidate in archaeology. She’s worked very hard for many years to earn her position as the top-ranking graduate student in her department. She is planning to run her own dig this year and finish her dissertation. Then her dig is whisked away from her by an outsider, Daniel.

SW: How do you come up with so much information to write about?

JC: Well, it depends. When it comes to the people, I write until they come to life for me. Andrea, for instance, has a strong personality, she’s confrontational and blunt, she’s also incredibly smart and has a great deal of integrity. I have no idea where she came from. But now that I know her, it was a snap to find the conflict that would bother her the most. She had to be in a position where her own integrity was compromised and she felt cornered into a betrayal. If we’re talking about the foundations of the story, the schools, the site, the archaeology and its nuances, I research. I talk to people. I draw on my own experiences. I surf the internet like a madman looking for authentic people involved in a real way with the things I need to learn.

SW: Can we order Hearts in Ruin directly from you? Or on a publishing site?

JC: Not from me. It is available quite a few places. Here are a few links:

SW: If readers want an autographed copy of Hearts in Ruin, what should they do?

JC: That’s a question I’m still pondering — how to autograph an eBook. I’ve signed anthologies with my short stories in them. I would love to do the same with this book. Until and if it gets into print, I guess the best I can do is autograph a printed cover page, which would be kinda cool–at least I’d appreciate it from an author I like. For something like that, anyone can just contact me on Facebook and I’ll figure out how to get it done.

Judy Rosine Hyp (Guest): I just ordered it for my nook! I don’t normally read romance but it actually sounds interesting and more than just romance.

JC: Thanks Judy — yes, while it is a romance and published by a romance publisher, there are some readers that have come up to me and said they felt it was more of a mystery or suspense, and they really enjoyed it that way.

SW: J. C., is Hearts in Ruin available in Kindle and paperback as well?

JRH: I love mystery and suspense!

JC: That’s ideal. Throw in a romance, and that’s what you’ve got.

SW: Judy, feel free to ask J. C. questions about his book.

JRH: Sounds good! I will post on Sezoni’s wall when I am done with it!

SW: J. C., what is the takeaway for the reader?

JC: That would be wonderful, Judy! I’ve only had four reviews so far on Amazon from customers. They’ve all liked it. But I’m certainly anxious to hear more from readers and how they feel about it.

SW: Judy, that would be awesome!

JC: Sezoni Whitfield I guess it’s that there are always more questions than answers, but that’s fine, so long as it is approached with an open mind and being true to yourself. Both of the main characters in this book have to look inside, question their motives, and reconcile that with their actions. Without that, they don’t have a chance against their other troubles.

SW: J. C., what advice do you have for writers who want to become better writers?

JC: There is a lot of good advice out there. Seek it out. Everyone is different. For me, I feel it is most important to (a) dedicate time to writing, and (b) study the craft. It’s tough to take critiques at the beginning. But that’s how you learn fastest. Develop the thick skin it takes to be told your work could be better, and plow forward. Study, write, study write.

Kris Lynn (Guest): Hi, just chiming in – hope it’s not too late. I like the last question – anxious to get your reply J. C. Conway. You are such a good writer, how did you do it – what path did you take to achieve your goals?

JC: Hi Kris! Thank you! I took pretty much that path. I thought I was good when I was younger, but it took quite a few years before I realized that kind of good wasn’t good enough. I dropped the ego and started listening, learning and practicing!

JRH: You didn’t mention Bin……yes I down loaded and starting reading it!

KL: Great answer. And it helps to have a thick skin about people’s reactions, edits, and so forth. I know you are always perfecting your craft.

JC: Judy — Yes. I like Bin and Tala. They appear in the prologue, and you will see them again … they’ve got quite a story of their own.

SW: Hi Kris! Are you currently reading Hearts in Ruin?

JC: Kris — It’s a never ending thing, isn’t it?

JRH: Ok I’m going to check out now. I want to read! Thank you!

JC: Thank you, Judy!

SW: J.C., do you have a favorite quote you’d like to share before we go?

KL: Hi, I’m not sure what protocol is for these Facebook things. I am reading Hearts in Ruin and I was immediately engaged in the story. J. C., there are some similarities in my story to yours, so I am reading (and writing because now I really want to finish my book! I’m jealous) yours closely. Not only for the characters and story, but how you deal with the archaeological side of things.

JC: I like Philip K. Dick’s quote, which appears in VALIS, and I think also in I Hope I shall Arrive Soon — “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away.”

SW: Kris, let me know if you want to do an interview on Facebook when your book releases. Just send me an e-mail to writerskaboodle@outlook.com

JC: This has been a lot of fun, Sezoni Whitfield. Thank you very much for hosting. Kris Lynn, definitely take her up on the invitation. I am looking forward to you publishing your work.

KL: Oh my gosh. I will definitely like to do that. I hope to finish in the next couple of weeks with the first draft. Still need to revise etc. etc. So, I’m a ways out. So happy for J. C. This is a terrific book.

SW: J. C., thank you for joining us this evening! We enjoyed learning about Hearts in Ruin.

KL: Goodbye and keep writing, J. C. On to the next book!

JC: Thank you. Have a wonderful evening.

SW: Kris and Judy, Thank you both for participating in the chat! Judy, I’m glad you found something good to read!

Dennis Jenkins and an international team of researchers have continued their work at Paisley Cave in Oregon. A few years ago, he discovered human coprolites that were dated at 14,300 years ago. This was proof of Pre-Clovis people in the region. Later he found tools dated to Pre-Clovis times. The international team at

English: A collection of North American stone projectiles (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

the site has found broken obsidian spear points. They are very different from Clovis points. They are known as western stemmed projectile points. These particular points are dated at 13,200 years ago, the same age as the Clovis points. This proves that there were two different traditions of projectile point design developed independently and simultaneously in the Americas. The findings by an international team of scientists from the U.S., Britain and Denmark are in the Journal “Science.”

As more reports come in from Paisley Cave, the evidence of Pre-Clovis at the cave is now irrefutable. This site is now the pre-eminent proof of Pre-Clovis in the Americas.

Eurekalert, Phys.org and Science Daily explain why this is. Not only have they found points that differ from Clovis at the site, but all the earlier Pre-Clovis dates found in human coprolites and other artifacts at the site have been confirmed.

Near the close of Release Week, two reviews have appeared on Amazon for Hearts in Ruin. On describes it as a “delightful romantic romp through an archaeological dig” that “successfully melded a serious story with a wry sense of humor that keeps it a light and happy romance” and the other a “page turning, rip-roaring good time” and “that rare combination read of intelligence, suspense, and a building love story(ies) that makes you snarl at family members who break in on your reading time…”

May 5, 2014: Hearts in Ruin is released by Liquid Silver Books in all major eBook formats! The book can be purchased directly from the publisher at THIS PAGE. It is also available on Amazon.

Here is an excerpt from the beginning of the book to get you started:

Prologue

Despite the warm evening wind, Tala drew her knees close and shivered. Under the starlight, below the community’s terraced crops, mastodons filled the valley, their footfalls echoing in the dirt. But above, the Fire Star grew.

Not a good sign.

“I have something for you,” said Bin. He crouched near her on the grassy hill. “Close your eyes.”

She inclined her head. “What is it?”

“Hold out your hands,” he prodded.

She complied. A cold weight pressed down upon her palms. “Can I look now?”

“Yes.”

Her breath caught in her throat. His gift was a beautiful bowl, bright and colorful with intricate, flowery designs. Around its interior were three words.

Bin loves Tala.

“Do you like it?” he asked.

She didn’t know how to respond. It was very sweet. But now? The Fire Star loomed. They faced imminent change—a shift that would unbalance everything. Still, this simple display pierced those concerns.

“I want you and no one else,” he said.

“Bin, I…”

He frowned. “You feel that way, too…don’t you?”

Tears welled. She glanced at the Fire Star.

He followed her gaze. “That’s a good sign,” he assured her. “It means we will be happy.”

He extended a hand. She drew a deep, slow breath, accepted his hand, and stood. The bowl slipped from her lap and cracked against a stone.

She gasped.

His eyes widened. His Adam’s apple bobbed. An intense remorse swept through her, momentarily eclipsing her fear of the Fire Star. She had to make this right.

She placed her hand on his chest and held his gaze. “I do love you, Bin.”

He blinked.

She kneeled and lifted the bowl and a fragment that had fallen from it. “This is a good sign. The words are intact.” She then handed the piece to him and arranged his hand. She held the bowl and placed it with the shard in his hand, matching. “This is yours.” She motioned. “And this is mine. It means we belong together.”

She watched his expression shift from despair to joy. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her. His eyes sliced to the Fire Star and back. He flashed a cocky smirk. “Everything will be fine,” he crooned. “You’ll see.”

She pressed her face against his chest. No, she thought. It won’t.

Bin lowered his mouth toward her ear. “We have everything we need. Nothing can change all this.”

She squeezed. He was right about how she felt. She would accept him into her heart. She saw no reason to deny that. But he was wrong about everything else.

Things would not be fine.

They would not last.

At least they had each other—even if only for now.

Chapter 1

Three unexpected visitors waited at the summit overlooking the New Mexico high- desert site. Wind whipped at them. Crouched near the center of the dig, Daniel recognized only one—his friend, Sammy Bia, the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer.

The others wore suits.

Daniel groaned. He dropped the unusual artifact he’d been examining into a plastic bag, scribbled a precise location with a fading pen, and stuffed the sample into his shirt pocket. He did not need a distraction. Just yesterday he rid himself of the pesky Spring- semester team. The next batch had to be better.

Daniel climbed the makeshift walkway to greet the trio. He didn’t want them tromping all over the excavation.